(Credit: DartCenter.org)

The DART Center for Journalism & Trauma published a “40-page guide to help journalists, photojournalists and editors report on violence while protecting both victims and themselves” recently.

The center is “a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.”

For example, when interviewing victims, the guide advises journalists “treat victims with dignity and respect,” “clearly identify yourself,” and be sympathetic but do not say “I understand” or “I know how you feel.”

The guide also recommends building up to the tougher questions in an interview, fact checking every detail including name spelling.

Check out the guide here.